Overview
While construction procurement is essential in planning delivery methods and procurement tasks of a construction project, cost planning is critical to the financial management of the project throughout all phases of the building life cycle. Construction procurement is always associated with cost and cost planning is dependent on construction procurement. In this unit, therefore, you will study cost planning along with the knowledge of construction procurement. You will develop skills to critically examine the complexity of issues associated with strategic procurement and components of sustainable procurement processes. You will also analyse the impact of construction procurement decisions on economic, environmental, social, and cultural outcomes referring to a number of national and international case studies. This will enable you to reflect on the key themes in relation to procurement strategies, i.e. partnering culture as well as management of risks, stakeholder relationships, and supply chains. The knowledge gained here will eventually make you confident in practicing construction procurement within complex construction management environments in the public and private sectors. In the cost planning spectrum, the unit covers broader insights of design economics, cost estimating procedures, cost control mechanisms, and life cycle analysis for construction projects. The application of critical self-reflection skills and research principles and methods relevant to the construction industry will help you to prepare for dynamic construction industry environments and make sound professional decisions.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Prerequisites:BLCN29001 Construction Technology and BLCN29003 Construction Measurement
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2025
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Communication with students
Cost planning process could be explained in more details.
The teaching team will continue using Rawlinsons construction cost guide to show the cost planning process and add more practical examples of cost estimation and planning.
- Critically examine concepts and principles of construction procurement and cost planning across the building lifecycle
- Apply contemporary practice and research knowledge to project-specific contexts, managing project budget and feasibility
- Evaluate the impacts of construction procurement decisions on economic, environmental, social, and cultural outcomes
- Reflect on the key themes of procurement strategies and cost planning in contemporary management contexts.
This unit enhances your professional construction management knowledge and industry attributes in areas such as elemental cost planning, budget and cost control, procurement methods and contracting as well as sustainable procurement strategies and life cycle assessment.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 20% | ||||
| 2 - Research Assignment - 50% | ||||
| 3 - Reflective Practice Assignment - 30% | ||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Knowledge | ||||
| 2 - Communication | ||||
| 3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | ||||
| 4 - Research | ||||
| 5 - Self-management | ||||
| 6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | ||||
| 7 - Leadership | ||||
| 8 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
f.afzal@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Introduction to construction procurement and cost planning
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Procurement and cost planning strategies
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Pre-construction procurement and cost planning
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Construction procurement team and tender processes
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Collaborative construction procurement strategies
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Construction procurement and cost control management
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Construction cost and value management
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Sustainable construction procurement practices
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Procurement management of project variations and construction defects
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Class Presentations
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Procurement Management: professional and ethical responsibilities
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Construction procurement and cost management trends: local and global
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
Weight: 30%
Title: Analysis of Procurement Strategy and Early-Stage Cost Planning for a Selected Project
Aligned Learning Outcomes:
Critically examine concepts and principles of construction procurement and cost planning across the building lifecycle
Apply contemporary practice and research knowledge to project-specific contexts
Aligned Weekly Topics:
Introduction to procurement and cost planning
Procurement strategies
Pre-construction planning
Procurement team and tender processes
Task Description:
Students will select a real or hypothetical construction project and prepare a report (~1,500–2,000 words) that includes:
Identification and justification of a suitable procurement method
Outline of early-stage cost planning considerations and techniques
Discussion of how procurement and cost planning are integrated across the lifecycle
Reference to relevant standards, benchmarks, or case examples
AI ASSESSMENT SCALE - AI PLANNING
You may use Al for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas.
Week 5 Monday (11 Aug 2025) 11:45 pm AEST
Submit via Moodle Learning site
Week 6 Monday (25 Aug 2025)
Via Moodle Learning site. Students will be advised if a delay emerges.
Assessment criteria will be availabe on Moodle
- Critically examine concepts and principles of construction procurement and cost planning across the building lifecycle
- Apply contemporary practice and research knowledge to project-specific contexts, managing project budget and feasibility
2 Research Assignment
Weight: 50%
Due: Week 10
Weight: 50%
Title: Strategic Procurement Framework for a Complex Construction Project
Aligned Learning Outcomes:
Apply practice-based and research knowledge in managing project feasibility and budget
Evaluate the impact of procurement decisions on economic, environmental, social, and cultural outcomes
Aligned Weekly Topics:
Collaborative procurement strategies
Cost control and value management
Sustainable procurement practices
Managing variations and defects
Task Description:
Groups of 3–5 will:
Choose or be assigned a complex project (e.g., hospital, school, or infrastructure)
Prepare a strategic procurement and cost management report (~3,000 words)
Justify procurement method and delivery model
Detail lifecycle cost planning, risk management, stakeholder engagement, and sustainability considerations
Deliver a 10–15 min presentation in class
Submit a peer assessment to ensure fair contribution
AI ASSESSMENT SCALE - AI COLLABORATION
You may use Al to assist with specific tasks such as drafting text, refining and evaluating your work. You must critically evaluate and modify any Al-generated content you use.
Week 10 Friday (26 Sept 2025) 11:45 pm AEST
Submit via Moodle Learning site
Week 12 Monday (6 Oct 2025)
Assessment criteria is available on Moodle
- Apply contemporary practice and research knowledge to project-specific contexts, managing project budget and feasibility
- Evaluate the impacts of construction procurement decisions on economic, environmental, social, and cultural outcomes
- Reflect on the key themes of procurement strategies and cost planning in contemporary management contexts.
3 Reflective Practice Assignment
Weight: 30%
Due: Week 12
Title: Reflecting on Procurement, Cost Planning, and Professional Practice
Aligned Learning Outcomes:
Reflect on key themes of procurement strategies and cost planning in contemporary management contexts
Evaluate professional and ethical responsibilities in procurement
Aligned Weekly Topics:
Weeks 10–12:
Ethics and professional responsibility
Procurement trends (local and global)
Task Description:
Students will write a reflective essay (~1,000 words) discussing:
Personal learning from the previous two assessments
Ethical and professional issues in procurement (e.g., fairness, transparency, corruption)
How their understanding of procurement and cost planning has evolved
How they plan to apply these concepts in future professional settings
AI ASSESSMENT SCALE - AI COLLABORATION
You may use Al to assist with specific tasks such as drafting text, refining and evaluating your work. You must critically evaluate and modify any Al-generated content you use.
Week 12 Monday (6 Oct 2025) 11:45 pm AEST
Submit on Moodle
Exam Week Monday (20 Oct 2025)
Assessment criteria will be available on Moodle
No submission method provided.
- Critically examine concepts and principles of construction procurement and cost planning across the building lifecycle
- Evaluate the impacts of construction procurement decisions on economic, environmental, social, and cultural outcomes
- Reflect on the key themes of procurement strategies and cost planning in contemporary management contexts.
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
